Like They Always Did
by bbtfan
Summary: The group eating together, focuses on the thoughts of Leonard and Penny. Takes place in early season 1, before Leonard/Penny started dating. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or these characters.

I wrote this story a long, long time ago, I just never published it. This was way before Leonard and Penny started dating, so it takes place around season 1. This was the very first fanfic I ever wrote, so my writing isn't great. But I hope you enjoy anyway!

* * *

It was a typical day in the apartment of Leonard and Sheldon. Howard and Raj had come over to their apartment, like they always do, to join them for lunch. Leonard wanted to invite Penny, but was secretly nervous, like he always was, to ask her.

Leonard knew that it was no big deal. Of course she would come over to eat, like she always did. She liked coming over to hang out with the guys. But Leonard was always nervous about confronting Penny about anything. He couldn't help but be at a loss of words in front of her.

Leonard was in his car, coming back from the restaurant with their food. He stopped at the red light and double-checked that he had Sheldon's special mustard and soy sauce. Ever since Penny first came over to eat at his apartment, he paid special attention to what she liked. He kept a mental record of it and got what she seemed to enjoy.

Once he arrived at his apartment, he got the typical Sheldon, asking for the diced chicken with broccoli, brown rice, the good hot mustard, and the low sodium soy sauce. After satisfying Sheldon's routine needs, he quietly snuck over to Penny's apartment to invite her over. He stopped in front of her door, like he always did, before he started knocking.

Penny, on the other side of the door, picked up on Leonard's tendency to ask her over for lunch or dinner at the exact same time everyday. She had been waiting on the other side of the door, looking through the peephole in the door. She saw him coming. She immediately smiled when she saw him stop, like he always did, in front of her door before he started knocking. She thought it was sweet that Leonard was still nervous about something as simple as a lunch invitation at this point. She waited a few seconds before she opened the door to see him smiling his nervous smile. She smiled back, like she always did.

Leonard enjoyed seeing Penny's smile. He thought she was a perfect person. Perfect smile, perfect personality, perfect body, perfect everything. He took a deep breath and said,

"Uh, hi. Hi, Penny. Would…would you like to come over for lunch?"

"I would love to, Leonard," Penny said. She smiled, discreetly giggling behind Leonard, as she followed him to his apartment.

At the apartment, Leonard pulled over the wooden chair for her to sit in, like he always did. He gave her what he ordered for her and she smiled at the fact that he knew exactly what she liked.

Leonard sat down in his chair and glanced at Penny as she opened her lunch, in that perfect way that she did.

As they all got settled down to eat, their typical conversations took over the silence. Leonard couldn't help but look at Penny. He was head over heels _infatuated_. But he would often encounter that embarrassing moment when Penny glanced at Leonard while he was looking at her. He would look down and blush whenever Penny caught him staring at her. Leonard liked it when Penny contributed to the conversation because it meant that he could look at her without her becoming suspicious.

Penny noticed this about Leonard since the moment they met. She would always catch Leonard looking at her. She was flattered. But she also noticed that his head would perk up whenever she talked. She picked up on this and would talk as often as she could in conversations. Penny would be smiling inside whenever Leonard looked at her.

Penny subtly moved her foot close to Leonard's converse while he was looking away, like she always did. Whenever Leonard and Penny were sitting on the couch, she would purposely sit close to him so that their knees nearly touched.

Leonard looked down at his foot, only to realize that his shoe was literally touching Penny's foot. His heart jumped into his throat. He took a deep breath, which Penny heard. She looked at him and smiled, knowing that he was looking at his shoe. A small grin formed on his face. She enjoyed teasing Leonard like this, but she secretly loved to see Leonard smile. His smile was unique. It was a genuine, caring, warm smile that personally appealed to Penny.

Leonard wanted to say something to Penny, other than the typical "So, how's work?" But he couldn't think of anything. He finally had to settle with,

"Penny, anything interesting happening in your life?"

Leonard scowled inside. "That's a lame question, Leonard," he thought.

Penny was slightly surprised. He always asked her about her work. She was expecting the exact same question again today, but was actually pleased at the question change.

"Well, I got a callback from an audition I went to recently," said Penny.

"Oh, really? That's great! I'm sure you'll do just as well at the next audition. I hope you get the part," said Leonard. He beamed a bright shade of red, but was happy at being able to carry on a conversation with her for more than two sentences.

"Thanks, Leonard." Penny smiled at him, proud that he was able to talk to her without becoming a nervous breakdown. She giggled quietly at his tomato-red face.

"He's getting better," thought Penny.

They looked into each other's eyes and smiled at each other, like they always did.


End file.
